When a Heart Stops Beating
by Remi-it-is-a-girl's-name
Summary: Pietro's powers are causing his heart fail, If his heart fully gives away, he'll die. rated T because there might be language in later chapters
1. Chapter 1

**New story! Enjoy. One more thingbefore I get started,**

**I don't own the characters, or the places in this story. I also don't own the cover image, it's a still shot from the show, AND DON'T OWN THE SHOW!**

The X-men and the Brotherhood were fighting. Again.

The X-men would say the Brotherhood started it and the Brotherhood wouldn't deny it, as a matter of fact they'd be proud of it.

It was really broken up into a bunch of duels, mostly ones the X-men could win easily.

Except Scott, he was fighting Pietro and having a heck of a time about it.

"You can't catch meeeeeeeee!" Pietro landed another punch. The guy was so annoying, Cyclops couldn't stand him! He would get Jean to hold him still, but she was a bit tied up with Quicksilver's sister, The Scarlet Witch.

He kept taunting and moving and hitting him. Getting faster, and faster, and faster,

Then he stopped.

He had been running around it circles and then he just fell over unconscious.

"Pietro!" yelled Wanda, she sent one last blast of energy at Jean and ran over to him. He wasn't breathing. She put her ear to his chest, Then her hands started to glow blue. She pressed them over his heart.

"God let this work!" Everyone has stopped fighting, the argument forgotten.

Pietro started breathing again. He opened his eyes.

"Did I win?" he asked in a slightly shaky voice.

"Yeah sure, you won. Let's go home." said Wanda, she helped him up.

"Wanda," started Rogue.

"What?" came the sharp reply.

"Is he okay?"

Pietro straitened up. "I'm fine, X-man." he walked, not ran away. With the rest of the brotherhood.

* * *

"It was just so weird Professor, like he had a heart attack." said Cyclops later.

"And what's weirder was Wanda's reaction." said Jean, "She was scared, but not surprised, like this had happened before, more than once."

"Hmmmm." said the Professor. "He got back up and walked away?"

"Yeah, but that's also strange, he _walked_ not ran." said Cyclops.

"It's not going to do any good to worry or think about this, if he has some sort of physical problem, we can't help him unless he tells us." said the Professor. "You both may go."

* * *

"Please tell me ve're finally leaving!" groaned Kurt, it had been a few days since they had seen the Brotherhood. Kitty had dragged Kurt along to the mall her with her.

"Yeah Elf, we're going home, hey, thanks for not complaining 'till now. And helping with the bags."

"No problem Keety." he said. Then he ran into someone.

"Lance!" said Kitty.

"Hey, sorry." he said, he leaned over and started helping Kurt and kitty pick up the spilled contents of the bags.

"Lance! Come on! I got the stuff Wanda told us to get let's go!" it was Pietro, "Let the X-men pick up their own junk!"

"Somehow I thought you'd be less annoying after having a heart attack." said Kitty sarcastically

"I didn't have a heart attack, I'm fine." he ran around and picked everything up before Kitty had even noticed. "See? Watch." he started running around the mall. We went around, God knows how many times, Then, once again, suddenly collapsed.

"Is he okay?" asked Kurt. He looked around. He teleported them all away from the mall to where no one could see them.

"Lance, what's going on?" asked Kitty.

"I don't know, none of us do. Pietro will use his powers, then pass out, sometimes Wanda had to restart his heart. And we can't predict when it's gonna happen, because there is no pattern to it. He and Wanda seem to know what's going on, but they won't tell the rest of us." he check Pietro's pulse.

"His heart's still going."

"Keety, I'm going to really regret suggesting zis probably, but ve should take him back to zee Institute."

"Yeah, we're close enough you can bamf us there, right?"

"It'd take two teleports, but yeah.

"Hey wait." said Lance

"Lance, we have medical equipment at the Institute, to make sure he's okay until he wakes up. You just go tell Wanda, okay?" said Kitty, then she, Kurt, and the unconscious Pietro teleported away.

* * *

Pietro woke up in what looked like a hospital room, but Professor Xavier was there.

"Hey what's-" he tried getting up, his legs were tied down.

"I'm sorry to restrain you, but I had to, to ensure your safety." said The Professor. "Pietro,-

"I know what you're going to say." he said, then he sighed, "That my heart is failing, that it's been giving away for awhile, that I'm going to die."

**Tell me if you like this, so I can decide whether or not to keep going.**


	2. Chapter 2

"How long have you known?" asked the Professor.

"Since I was twelve." replied Pietro, he was sitting up in the infirmary bed. "Magneto figured out what it was, that when I use my powers, my heart pumps faster and it's not designed go that fast, and eventually and heart will rupture or just quit pumping, either way I'm gonna die." Said Pietro.

" I would like it if stayed here a few days, We had to restart your heart again, and that along with Wanda's less... orthodox way of handling your problem has taken quite a toll on you. And who knows? Perhaps there was something your father overlooked." said Xavier

_Yeah, 'cause that's soooooooo likely Uncle Charles._

_So you still call me that in your head?_

_Don't you have something against invading people's minds?_

_You have the unfortunate habit of projecting your conscious thoughts. _"I have to go, goodnight." The Professor left.

"Goodnight? I just woke up! What time is it?" the clock in the room said 9:50 P.M. "Couldn't you have sedated me or something 'till morning? Jesus Christ Uncle C-

_you will not speak like that here._

Pietro slumped down in the bed grumbling, eventually he fell asleep. He started to dream

* * *

"_Catch me Pietro!" Yelled Wand,a running away. He ran after her, it wasn't fair though, she was faster, he couldn't catch her he couldn't! He wanted too so bad but he couldn't! He tried to go faster._

_He ran into a tree far away from where he had been._

_His father came a little bit later._

"_I had hoped for this Pietro, but never thought it could happen so early. You are a mutant_

* * *

"_FATHER!" yelled Wanda Pietro watched, he had been told why Wanda was being taken away. She was a mutant, and she was dangerous. He walked to the car with his Father. Wanda yelled one more time_

"_PIETRO!"_

_He stopped. She had called him, she thought he could save her. _

"_Get in the car Pietro." said Father. He did._

* * *

"_That's enough!" yelled Magneto. "Pietro, someday soon the world will find out about mutants, I have things that I must accomplish before then, and you're in the way. Therefore I have to remove you form the situation."_

"_Remove me?" Pietro said, "Let me make it easy, I'll remove myself." he ran. He felt himself get pulled hard from going seventy miles an hour one way to going the exact opposite direction, his father didn't even try to be gentle, using Pietro's metal implant in his back to pull him back, just a way to control him if he ever got out of control._

"_I have written out the address of an apartment on some paper on the counter, I'll send you a monthly allowance to live on." said Magneto, after Pietro slammed into a wall in the room._

_Pietro wiped his bloody nose. "What about my heart?"_

"_What about it? It's going to kill you eventually. I'm leaving, don't be here when I get back."_

_And he was gone._

* * *

Pietro woke up. At least this time it was exactly what happened, not the twisted nightmare versions he had so often. Of course, sometimes just the memories were bad enough, a reminder that he had no family anymore, no, he had Wanda now, but he hadn't had her for so long It was difficult to remember he did have her sometimes. His mother was dead, and the man who was his father was gone, swallowed up my some person called Magneto.

* * *

"Hey Laura!" called out Jean to X23 who was walking by the kitchen where Jean was.

"Yes?"

"Would you take this downstairs to Pietro?" she asked, handing Laura a tray of food

"Why does the Professor care about Pietro? He's brotherhood." said Laura

"I don't really know Laura, the Professor and Magneto were friends and Pietro is Magneto's son so Xavier knew him when he and his sister were kids, that's all I really know."

"Fine." Laura sniffed at the air "Was Kitty cooking?'

"Yeah, I threw what she made out."

"I thought so, this smelled too good to have been made by her."

"I heard that! Yelled Kitty form another room.

"I'm going to take this downstairs." said Laura, she left.

* * *

Pietro was bored out of his skull. It was afternoon, earlier that day Beast had come to check on him since the Professor had left to go somewhere early that morning. Pietro had decided to leave, so he ran off using his powers. He had woken up later, back in the Infirmary, apparently he had passed out again. His heart hadn't stopped though.

"Hey, you hungry?" A girl was standing in the doorway. She was thin, wearing jeans and a black tank top. Long brown hair, dark brown eyes, probably fourteen or fifteen. not too bad looking.

"You bet! I haven't eaten all day, more than a day, do you have any clue how starving I am?

"Yes, I've gone for several days without eating, and my powers don't keep me from needing food." she said flatly, she shoved the tray at him, he took it. She sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"I don't recognize you. You new?"

"Yes. My name is Laura Logan."

"Laura huh? If you're new here then your fighting skills must be crap-"

SKINT

Pietro looked at the metallic claws just a inch from his throat. "So, claws, like Wolverine." he said, "Nice reflexes."

She relaxed and sat back down. Pietro immediately put more food in his mouth.

"Wolverine's my Father." said Laura. Pietro swallowed

"Your dad is Wolverine!?"

"On paper, yes. Really I'm an imperfect clone of him, HDRYA made me to be a living weapon. But I got away and now I live here."

"Oh."

Silence.

"Are you done with that?" Asked Laura, she meant Pietro's tray, and he was done eating.

"Yeah, sure." She took it and turned to leave.

"Hey Laura," said Pietro, she stopped and turned around

"Thought you might like to know, I think you're pretty cute." he said.

She kicked the underside of the bed. A claw poked through it.

"You have claws on your feet." all Pietro could manage, seeing as the claw was only a centimeter from his leg.

"Yeah, I do." She left

"You know, most people would've taken cute as a compliment!" He yelled after her. He laid back down. He had been serious, she was pretty cute.

* * *

The Professor came home soon after, He gave Pietro a room upstairs, and said He wanted him to stay another night. He then said he had a few call to make and told Pietro he could eat with the others.

Pietro looked over at Cyclops, who was standing behind the Professor, "I think I'll pass." he said.

He went up to his temporary room and went out on it's balcony, it was a nice view. He stayed out there for a minute, got bored and went inside.

Even though he had spent most of the day unconscious or lying down, he was tired and quickly feel asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjoy.**

Pietro headed downstairs. He was really hungry and the only way he was getting food was if he ate with everyone else.

He walked into the kitchen, all the chatter that had been going on instantly stopped. He got a plate and some food and sat down. Laura was sitting their too.

"Good morning." said Pietro. Laura unsheathed her claws and stuck them in the table.

"Don't speak to me." she grumbled.

"Just as a rule, no one speaks to Laura until at least 8:00 on weekdays, and not 'till ten on the weekend." said Bobby

"Whatever Snowball." said Pietro. He went back to eating.

"Hey, be polite." said Cyclops.

"Like I care Summers." aid Pietro.

"Wanna try that again?" said Cyclops, a hand going to his glasses.

"Uh, no." said Pietro.

"Are you sure, 'cause I think you owe Bobby and apology." said Scott. Pietro stood up and sped across the room, took Scott's glasses and sat back down, holding them. He finished eating using his powers and sped out and back to his room, leaving the glasses behind.

He slumped against the closed door, he could feel his heart pounding, he wished it would slow down, it should be pounding that hard. It eventally slowed down, thank God

_Pietro, please come to my office._

* * *

"He was practically asking for it!" said Pietro.

"Pietro, there are rules you need to follow here. One is to be polite to the others living here." said Xavier.

"Then I'll go back to the Brotherhood." said Pietro. "There's no reason to stay here anyway."

"Yes, there is. I found a cure for you." he said, "We can give you an artificial heart."

"What!" Pietro was surprised. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes, we have to determine which metals will hold up for the longest, and it's possible it will need to be replaced eventually, but you'll live."

"It's made of metal?" asked Pietro.

"Yes."

"It won't work." said Pietro

"Why not?"

"It just won't!"

"Is it because of the metal strips and balls implanted in your wrists, ankles, and if I recall correctly, near your spine?"

_He knows about that?_

_Yes I do._

_Look, Could you at least pretend you don't here me thinking?_ Pietro rolled his eyes. "Magneto said when he implanted the metal in my back that it was so close to my spine that it would be impossible to remove, so if he ever yanks on it again, it could stop my fake heart too."

"That is true. But the both Brotherhood and X-men, have done the impossible more than once." said The Professor "If you're willing to take the risk, Hank and I will remove the metal from your back wrist and ankles, and replace your heart."

Pietro thought, "Are you qualified to do that sorta operation?"

"I'll I have to do is walk into a clinic and borrow a doctors skills mentally." said the Professor, "I've done that for another situation, and I still have that knowledge, everything that doctor knew about medical science and surgery I know, and I can transfer the knowledge to Beast."

"Okay, Anything else I have to do?"

"Not purposefully use your powers for a week before." said the Professor, "We need your heart to be at as close to a normal rate as it can be."

"That's way too hard!" said Pietro.

"Pietro, are you trying to find a way out?" asked the Professor.

"No."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not!" he said, jumping up, "I'm fine with it! I might die I the process in from you trying to remove metal that's dangerously close to my spine, or when you take out my heart. And if it does work, the fake heart might not work the way it was suppose to and it'll get clogged, or break apart or something-" Pietro stopped. "I don't wanna die Uncle Charles." he said, quietly.

"Pietro, this is going to sound extremely insensitive, but aren't you going to die anyway?" asked the Professor. Pietro thought for a moment.

"Okay, I want to do this." said Pietro

I'll s"tart working your new heart." said Xavier.

"And I'll quit using my powers when you tell me to."

"Good. You may go."

Pietro turned to leave.

"One more thing." said Xavier, Pietro stopped.

"I've talked to Wolverine, you'll participate in training sessions with my students while your here." said the Professor.

Pietro turned and faced him, "You know, if you're trying to save my life with this whole fake heart thing might go better if you didn't try to kill me by training under Wolverine, possibly without my powers, don't think I haven't heard about how he trains the X-men!"

The Professor smiled.

* * *

"Hey Summers." said Pietro. Scott turned around, Pietro was leaning in his doorway.

"What Quicksilver." he had no patience for Pietro.

"Even though it was hilarious to see your face when I took your glasses away at breakfast, I'm sorry." Pietro left.

_That was kinda weird._ Thought Scott _well, at least he apologized._


	4. Chapter 4

Pietro ducked a flame jet, then a razor blade, then just ran (without powers too) across the room, because that was the point of the program, get across the room without using your powers. Some of the traps, like the fire jets, were holographic, others, liked the razor blades, weren't really lethal, they just looked that way, but it would hurt to get hit. Some, like the lasers, were exactly what they seemed.

He looked around, some of the X-men were struggling like he was, some were doing okay, three had finished, Cyclops, Rogue, and X23.

He got knocked over by a 'Razor blade'

"Oh, what the hell." he used his powers to finish.

"End simulation." yelled Scott, "What the heck do you think you're doing?"

"We have powers," he panted, why was he winded, he was dizzy, "Why shouldn't we use them?"

"Well, _You _shouldn't use yours because you're going to kill yourself." said Laura, the other X-men were clearing out, the Professor had telepathically given them the okay to leave. "You couldn't go across the room again and still be conscious."

"Oh yeah?" Pietro zoomed off.

He was lying on his back, Laura was leaning over him, she wiped her mouth.

"I am never doing that again, got it? Next time I let you die." she got up and walked away?"

"Huh?" said Pietro, he was still out of it.

"It's called CPR." said Jean, she and Scott both walked out leaving him alone.

* * *

Laura walked through the hall, then up the stairs. She thought about Pietro, he had been there three days and she was confused. What she'd been told about him was the Magneto was his father, he was rude, self-centered, cocky, nasty, and hardly ever took the same girl out on a date twice, not because they didn't want to, but because he got bored with just one girl.

"Hey Laura." She turned, how had she neglected to notice Pietro was there? She was slipping.

"Thanks for earlier today, You know, for not letting me die." he said.

"The Professor would hardly be pleased if I let you die, neither would Logan."

"Don't be so sure, your dad hates me." he smirked, it was annoying, but somehow cute too. She turned and walked away, he caught up and walked next to her.

"You know, if you hate me to, just say it, instead of being rude." he said. She stopped and faced him

"I judged people by the facts about them, however, the facts I have are all from the same source the X-men. I'm sure your sister. Or the Brotherhood see you much differently. But for now, I must assume that you are exactly as everyone here says you are." she turned to walk away. He caught her arm. She thought about sticking him with her claws.

"How about letting me give you another opinion?" he said, "I'll buy you dinner tonight." he smiled. She looked at him, he looked nice to her, she found that she wanted to say yes.

"No, Logan won't let me." she pulled away and walked off. She headed to go talk to Kitty.

Pietro watched her go, he smirked, he knew she had wanted to go out with him, she had been starting to flush. She was cute, a bit rough, but cute. He walked back to his room.

* * *

"Are you serious?" asked Kitty, she and Laura were sitting in her room. "He asked you out?"

"Yes. I told him no, and that Logan wouldn't let me."

"No!" she said, "Look, when you don't want to date a guy, never tell him you won't go out because your _Dad _let you, tell him, you don't want to." she looked at Laura. "Unless you, like, did want to."

"I don't know." said Laura, "He was not rude about it, and I haven't found him really bad in any way, more like, not used to the Institute rules, and-"

"Do you think he;s cute." asked Kitty,

"Cute?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Nice looking."

"I suppose so."

"Laura, this is coming from the girl who dated a brotherhood boy." said Kitty "Pietro is the worst boyfriend material in the country. It's just that simple."

"If you say so." said Laura. She stood up, "I have homework, see you later Katherine." she walked out.

_If Pietro is such bad 'Boyfriend material' why is he so attracting?_

* * *

"I have powers, so what's the point of not using them?" asked Pietro, he was talking to the professor.

"To prepare for a situation where you might not be able to use your abilities." he said. "Logan and I have discussed it. If this, or anything like it, ever happens again, you'll be cleaning the X-jet, and the danger room, and be having personal training sessions with Logan."

"You can't tell me what to do!" yelled Pietro, "I'm not one of your students!"

"No, you're not." said Xavier, "I can't tell you what to do and expect you to do it like one of my students. You simply don't have that kind of discipline or maturity."

"W-what!" spluttered Pietro, "I'm as mature as may of your stupid X-men!"

"Then _prove_ it to me!" said Xavier, "Show me that you can be as adult as my students are. That doesn't mean you can't have fun, it just means that you'll follow the rules, and accept the consequences for not following them, do you understand?"

"Yeah, sure." he said.

"The other thing I wanted to discuss is that tomorrow we'll take the X-rays, and if all goes well with than, in three days from now, we'll remove the metal. Then after you're recuperated from that, we'll replaced your heart."

"So how long 'till the?" he asked

"About a week." he said.

"Okay. Can I go?"

"Yes."

Pietro got up and left.

* * *

_Magnus?_

_What Charles?_

_Your son, did you really think his condition was incurable? You helped design the artificial heart I'm going to put in him._

_Don't remove the metal from him Charles._

_That's what this is about, you told him it was going to kill him. What you meant was it would kill him if you kept your control over him, did you really place that over his life?_

_I am his father. What I say goes._

_You abandoned him. You left his sister in an insane asylum. You have no more right than I do to control his fate, he wants this operation done. I will do it._

_Charles..._

_Magnus, there are many things we have disagreed on, but this is not just you and I having different opinions, this is you placing your control of a situation over a person's life. I cannot, and will not condone that._

_It was necessary at the time, I didn't know what to do about Wanda, and he kept using his powers to in ways that were dangerous to many people, including himself after I put her in the asylum, he was going to seriously harm himself and to be honest, I was worried for him. I couldn't lose them both, they were all I had of Magda._

_You could have asked for my help Old Friend._

_Not then, not so soon._

_I would have helped you if I had known what was going on._

_It is too late now. Do what you will for Pietro now Charles, I really do what what's best for him. No matter how I may have made it seem._


	5. Chapter 5

** Enjoy.**

"Okay, we're done." said Beast. They had just taken the x-rays.

"So now what?" asked Pietro.

"Now the Professor and I look over these and figure out how best to remove the metal." said Hank.

"Yeah, but what do _I _do?"

"You wait."

* * *

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"I've got it!" yelled Rogue. She opened the door and saw the Scarlet Witch standing there.

"Hi." she said.

"What are ya here for?" asked Rogue, not irritated though. "I'm not done with yer book yet by the way."

"I'm not here to get it. I'm here to see Pietro." She said.

" I don't hear any fightin' no cussin' either. He must be upstairs in his room." They went upstairs.

* * *

"Come in!" said Pietro when he heard the knocking. His sister walked in.

"Hey Pietro." she said. "How are you?"

"Fine." he said. "Haven't passed out at all since yesterday morning, and that was only just for a sec. Also in like twelve days I'll get surgery to get all of this fixed."

"I glad for you." she came and sat by him on the bed. "Why so long to wait?"

"Well, if it's really gonna work, I can't use my powers for ten days before and Uncle Charles still has to take the metal out."

"Metal?"

_Oh yeah, she doesn't know about that._

"The metal Magneto put in to keep me under control. All he has to do is yank and I'll come flying at him."

"Father wouldn't do that!"

"He did." said Pietro, "I can even stick a magnet on my wrist."

"But father wouldn't do that!" she said.

"He would Wanda! And he did!" he said, "Look you might think he's just the perfect dad and all," _because you've been brainwashed_ "But he hasn't been to me. Ever wonder why I left in middle school?"

"Left?" her face furrowed

_Come on! Magneto said he figured that in! That I wasn't around in her memories in that time period!_

"I don't know." she said, "I always thought you left because you wanted the chance to try living on your own, or something like that."

"Yeah, well guess what Wanda? You're wrong! _Father _kicked me out! You might think he loves us sooooo much, but the only one of us he really cares about is you!" Pietro was standing. "You know, that's the whole reason this wasn't fixed earlier, because if I got a fake heart he wouldn't be able to yank me around by the metal he put in me without risking killing me!"

"Then," said Wanda, deathly quiet. "If he doesn't care about you, why would he worry about you dying if you got a fake heart?"

"You don't get it! I'm gonna die this way too! Or did you not know?!"

Wanda stood up. "Look _brother_ I'm gonna tell you something, Magneto cares no more about me than he does about you. I have no clue what's happened in your life, because I wasn't there, I was locked up in an insane asylum, because our dearest father couldn't be bothered to to teach me to use and control my powers!" her hands started to glow.

Pietro stared at her. "You know."

"Yeah, Mastermind either wasn't trying, or isn't a very good telepath. because about two weeks after he erased my memory, I started having nightmares about my real life, and I would remember something, then think 'that's not what happened' or something like that. I started getting headaches and the dreams got worse, finally I came here fore help, I really didn't know what else to do. The Professor undid Mastermind's meddling and I know the truth."

"Then why pretend?"

"Because I thought maybe, if I pretended like everything was good, I could forgive father. And you."

"Have you?" he asked.

"No. I will never forgive Magneto, Ever!" he eyes flashed, then her look softened, "But I guess I do forgive you. I gotta go. I didn't mention I was leaving and Toad's gonna try to mount a rescue mission or call the police or something if I don't get back soon, the slimeball. Bye."

"Bye." said Pietro. Then she left.

* * *

Laura stood on the balcony. Logan had made sure she had balcony.

_You spent your childhood shut up. I think you'll be happier if you can get outside whenever you want, or at least be able to see out._

He had been right. She breathed in the cool night air. She smelled something strange.

Quicksilver.

She climbed out and got to the ground, where was he? By the water.

She went over by him, she came up behind him.

"You shouldn't be out." she said, he literally jumped a foot in the air.

"God! Do you have to sneak up on me?" he asked. "And if I'm not supposed to be out, why are you?"

"I was following you." she said.

"If you want to see me, we can talk during daylight hours." he said.

"I didn't want to see you, I smelled you out here from the balcony, and decided to see what you were doing."

"Sure." he smirked. The moonlight made his hair seem less white and more silver. "You know, you are really cute." he said he took a step toward her, she took half a step away.

"Relax, you don't have to be afraid of me." he said, "I'm just out here walking, and thinking. That's all."

Laura relaxed. "About what?" with really thinking about it, they both started walking along the path that had formed near to the cliff above the water.

"About what I'm going to do if I survive." he said, "Don't tell anyone, but I kinda like it here, now that people have quit being openly hostile towards me. I'd almost think about talking to Unc- The Professor about staying if it weren't for the brotherhood and my sister."

"You should consider staying." she said, "However, you do have a team and and your sister, they deserve your loyalty."

"Way to make this harder Laura." said Pietro.

"How?"

"If you say I should think about staying, then I will, then you said I owed The Brotherhood."

"I did contradict myself." she said.

"You aren't used to talking casually yet, are you?"

"I really can only talk in a normal fashion with a few people, I never really learned how to interact with people." she admitted. She stopped. "What are we doing? We need to go back inside, Logan will not be pleased if he finds out- why are you looking at me like that?" Pietro was looking straight at her, just half-smirking, half-smiling.

"You're more like a regular teen, with a mutation, then you think." he said. Her cheeks felt very warm.

"Thank you."

He kept smiling, he grabbed her arm, she tensed up, she briefly considered unsheathing her claws.

"Didn't I just say you didn't need to be afraid of me? I'm not going to hurt you Laura." said Pietro. He grabbed her hand with his other hand and leaned in and kissed her.

She suddenly felt very warm.

He pulled back, "Enjoy it? Good. Let's go inside, I'll run us up the wall." he walked away.

Laura snapped back to reality "No you won't, you'll pass out!" she ran after him

_He kissed me. _ Only now, she didn't know what to do.

* * *

They managed to get inside okay. And upstairs, and even past Logan's room without incident. They got to Pietro's room.

Pietro reached for the doorknob , she grabbed his hand. He looked at her. She had such beautiful deep brown eyes. She was shorter then him, but he'd seen what she could do, she was amazing.

He had had plenty of girlfriends, gone on plenty of dates. But she was different, he was actually risking something if he tried to be with her, mainly be maimed. Possibly murdered, by her father.

"Pietro." Laura whispered. "I-" he gently put a finger on her lips.

"It's late, we'll wake someone up if we walk." he said. He really could not help himself. He kissed her again.

This time she kissed him back.

* * *

**Yes, this is a really weird pairing. But I wanted Pietro to end up with someone at the Institute. And whne I thought of this pairing, something in my head clicked. =)**


	6. Chapter 6

Laura woke up. She looked at her clock.

She'd overslept.

She jumped out of bed, rushed through getting dressed, brushing her teeth, and was about to head downstairs when she thought of something. She hadn't showered, Logan would smell Pietro on her from last night when he'd kissed her. Then it would be over. She went to Kitty's room.

"Come in." said Kitty. Laura did.

"Can I borrow some perfume?" she asked.

"Why?" asked Kitty, "And Laura, you're not leaving this room until I do your hair, It's a mess!" Kitty pulled Laura over and sat her down on the bed and started to brush her hair out.

"I'll let you use some of my perfume, if you tell me why." said Kitty. Laura thought it through and decided to trust Kitty, she told her about the night before.

"And you can't tell anyone because then my father will find out and I don't want to be Pietro's cause of death."

"Hold on." Kitty started to braid Laura's hair. "First off, remember what I told you about Pietro? Yes? Good. And even if he's changed or actually wants, like, an actual relationship, do you want a boyfriend?"

"I like Pietro." she said. "I don't think he's exactly like what everyone says he is, he's nice."

"And I liked Lance, but our relationship failed, more than once, because he was a nice guy, even thought he was brotherhood, But a bad boyfriend. Think about that." Kitty finish the braid. "Perfume's on the dresser. Put some one quick, we need to be downstairs right now." Kitty walked out. Laura put on some of the perfume and ran out. She ended up next to Pietro on the steps.

"Hey." he said, he reached for her hand. she pulled back.

"Don't touch me." she said.

"Why?"

"Because then I'll smell like you to Wolverine, and if I do, he kills you."

"Oh." Pietro put his hands in his pockets. They walked downstairs toward the kitchen.

"Your first surgery is this afternoon." said Laura.

"Yup. Wish me luck." he said, they walked into the kitchen.

* * *

No, I'm not telling you how to live your life but-" said Scott.

"But because you and Pietro are on opposite sides of an issue you can't accept that maybe he isn't all bad?" said Laura. She and Pietro had sat together and talked at breakfast, and he'd kissed her in front of everyone, then left because he had to go talk to Xavier, leaving her to explain.

"He solves things with violence, before even trying anything else."

"I destroyed every HYDRA base I could find and killed Madam Hydra for what they did to me." said Laura, "Guess I'm just a violent good-for-nothing too."

"What?" Logan walked in, he hadn't been at breakfast after all.

"Laura's with Pietro." said Scott, then walked out. Laura growled and unsheathed her claws. Logan grabbed her arm.

"Claws in kid. And you're not dating Quicksilver. Or anyone else. You're too young."

"But-"

"Don't give me that Laura. When Pietro comes around after surgery, you tell him to stay away from you, or I will." Logan walked out. Laura was furious. She slashed the closest piece of furniture to pieces.

* * *

"Pietro?" said someone. Pietro opened his eyes. He was in the infirmary

"How are you?" asked the Professor.

"Okay, my head hurts and I'm still tired." he said.

"You lost more blood than we hoped you would. Try not to move."

"How'd the surgery go?" asked Pietro.

"We were mostly successful."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means that some of the metal in your back is fused to your spine now, we couldn't remove it. But it shouldn't be a problem. It's not a lot."

"Can I come in?" asked X23.

"Of course Laura." said Xavier. "Hank, come with me please. They both left

_Charles , are you sure it's alright to leave them alone._

_It's fine Hank._

"How are you feeling?" asked Laura.

"Fine." he said, He propped himself up, then slumped. "Dizzy."

Laura sat down, "Pietro, Logan found out, Scott told him."

"Reason fifteen." said Pietro.

"What?"

"Lance and I made a list of reasons why we don't like Cyclops, We just started so we're only at fourteen, but now reason fifteen is: he messes up our relationships, 'cause apparently Lance and Kitty got grief from him too."

"This isn't his fault." said Laura, "I hated HDRYA but at least there I learned how to keep a secret."

"Someone would find out eventually." said Pietro. He was so smug, maybe what Kitty had said was right.

"Laura, if you don't wanna be with me, fine, say it. If you do, well, the only reason I've ever given a damn what my dad thinks is because I'd get hurt if I didn't." Pietro propped himself up again, this time he stayed up. "Whadda say? I'm a great kisser." he grinned, obviously trying to make her laugh.

Laura rolled her eyes then kissed him. His hands ran through her hair, she put hers around his shoulders, they broke it off.

"That yes?" asked Pietro, she smiled at him. He grinned back. Then suddenly his eyes rolled up and he slumped.

* * *

"Wha-what happened?" asked Pietro. Beast was there, so was Wolverine.

"Your powers involuntarily kicked in to increase how fast your body produces blood. You've been out for a while, we had to restart your heart again ." said Beast, "It shouldn't happen again, but just to be sure, were going to make it twelve days until your next surgery. But honestly, you can't afford for this to happen again. The Professor is working on your heart, I need to go help him." he left. This left Pietro alone with Wolverine.

"Sooo," began Pietro, Wolverine grabbed him by the front of his shirt with one hand and pulled him up. He put with other hand in front of Pietro's face and unsheathed his claws.

"Listen bub, unless you want that faulty heart of yours removed early, you leave Laura alone, understand?"

"You act like she doesn't like me," said Pietro, "But just in case you missed that, she does."

"You heard what I said, and it stands until I say it doesn't anymore, which I doubt will ever happen in your case." said Wolverine, he flung Pietro back down on the bed and left.

_I don't care what he says, I'm not as bad a guy as he thinks, I wouldn't have done so much stuff for Magneto if he couldn't jerk me around. Heck, I wouldn't have joined the Brotherhood probably if it weren't for that. Besides it's Laura's life, I'll talk to her when I can get up, then she can make the call._


	7. Chapter 7

**Another reader commented on this, so I'm going to clear this up in case anyone else has a problem with it: Laura is 14 (maybe barely 15) in this fic. Not 12-13. I would never pair a 12 year old with a 17 year old.**

* * *

Pietro leaned against a tree at the park and waited for Laura. She promised to meet him here as soon as Wolverine left.

Wolverine had told everyone he would be leaving for a few days that morning. So this let him and Laura have some time together, without risking someone getting hurt.

"Hi." Pietro spun around Laura was standing there.

"Hi Laura." he said, "Glad you could make it."

"I want to ask you something." said Laura.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you or don't you really want to be with me?" She asked.

"Of course I want to be with you, I want you to be my girlfriend." he said.

"Kitty says you-"

"Kitty doesn't even know half of it. But I'm willing to change for you." They kissed.

"Ain't that sweet." They broke it off and saw Pyro standing there, along with Sabertooth, Colossus, and Lance and Toad.

"What is going on?" demanded Laura

"Sorry Sheila, but we gotta kidnap your boyfriend, boss' orders."

"Oh really?" said Pietro. "Lance, Toad, go home."

"Magneto took the Brotherhood back." said Lance, "But it won't stay that way if we don't do this."

"Come on then." said Pietro. "You guys couldn't take me if you all tried at once."

"Couldn't take _us_." said Laura, she unsheathed her claws.

"Wait, I thought Wolverine was the one with the razor sharp, deathly claws." said Pyro.

"He is. I'm his daughter." said Laura. Sabertooth growled and charged her.

"Sabes! Wrong one! We supposed to be getting Quicksilver!" said Pyro, he started blowing fire a Pietro. He ducked and rolled.

_I can't use my powers. Beast said I can't afford it. My heart might give out._

Avalanche shook the ground. "What's the matter? Why don't you run around and take us all out?" he jeered and Quicksilver.

"I apologize for this." said Colossus. He picked Pietro up and carried him away.

"Hey! Set me down! Stupid tin can!" said Pietro, hitting Colossus (who could barely even feel the punches.) Laura slashed Sabertooth one last time and ran over to Pietro and managed to pull out one of Colossus' legs out from underneath him. He fell.

"Let's go." said Laura. They stared to run off.

"Nu-uh-uh. You aren't leaving." said Toad. He shot out his tongue and knocked over Laura. She stood, only to be hit by Sabertooth, once twice, three times. She toppled. Sabertooth shoved Pietro down when he tried to go by her.

"Gonna come now?" said Sabertooth. Pietro just glared. "Have it your way. Hey Aussie!" Pyro grinned and shot a torrent of flames at Laura. Pietro dove and pushed her out of the way. His right pant leg caught on fire. He shook it until the fire went out.

"Don't make this hard." said Lance, he shook the ground again. Pietro held onto Laura.

"We must take you back to your father." said Colossus.

"Well I'm not going back. So you can all go to hell!" he said.

"Sorry mate, as much as I'd love to go to such a nice fiery place as hell, it's not happenin'" said Pyro. Colossus moved to grab Pietro. That's when Wolverine showed up.

"Ummm, Bye!" said Toad and ran.

"Get back here Tolansky!" yelled Lance. Wolverine grabbed Lance by the collar and growled at him.

"Go home kid. Now!" he threw Lance down and he ran.

"Anyone else want to fight?"he asked. Sabertooth growled. Pyro started making a fireball.

Wolverine and Sabertooth stared fighting.

"STOP IT NOW!" Yelled Pietro, they did. "You're here to get me. Like I said, I'm not going. And and I'm not going until Magneto comes down here and makes me, which he can't do anymore. So quit wasting your time and go away!" Sabertooth grabbed him.

"Oh really?"

SKINT

Laura was awake, and her claws were half an inch from Sabertooth's back.

"I will kill you, but you'll heal, so I'll kill you again." said Laura. "Then I'll cut out off your head, then you'll be dead for real. Or you can set him down and go home."

Sabertooth set him down.

"All of you git." said Wolverine. The Acolytes left.

"Laura." said Wolverine in a much nicer tone. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." she said. "Pietro, what happened after I got knocked out.

"Pyro tried to burn you up. I pushed you out of the way, then Avalanche shook everything, I held on to you and stayed still until he stopped, and then told them all to leave." said Pietro, "Then your dad showed up. Aren't you supposed to be gone.

"I came by here and smelled both of you." he said, "Glad I did." He looked at Pietro. "I said I didn't want you near my daughter."

"But I want him near me." said Laura. "He might have just saved my life. Even I can't heal form getting charred."

Wolverine sighed, "Can you treat her right?"

"Yeah."

"You can date her. You can hold her hand, you can even kiss her, if I found out you did anything beyond that, I'll kill you."

"Kinda harsh." said Pietro.

"Like I said, treat my daughter right." He said. He stuck out his hand Pietro took it, he ended up on his back.

"That's for kissing her before now." he said. "Both of you go home. See you in a few days." he walked away. Laura ran over and gave her father a hug.

"Thanks." she whispered and went back over by Pietro. All three of them left.

_I can't believe father did this. _Thought Pietro. _Laura could be seriously hurt if she didn't have her powers. I'll never forgive him. I can't_

* * *

_Magnus, I heard about today, this can't happen again._

_Oh really?_

_I'm serious! Maybe you don't know, but Pietro got hurt his leg was burned._

_I didn't know that. I'll have to talk to Pyro._

_He doesn't blame Pyro. He blames you. I've talked with a lot in the past few days. His best memories are from before he was seven. A lot changed then._

_Yes, he got his powers._

_And you started to treat him different. Not as a young child,you trained him, drilled him._

_As do you to your students._

_My students aren't seven, the youngest is twelve. Everything bad in Pietro's life he blames you for. The cold hard truth is he hates you._

_Some things maybe I did do wrong. Maybe I was harsh. But I have never done anything I thought was unnecessary. I never meant to make him hate me._

_He hates you for more than what you've done to him. He blames you for Wanda's pain. For the fact I'm in a wheelchair, he still calls me Uncle Charles, he wanted me in his life. For Magda's death._

_I had nothing to do with her death! I wished she hadn't died too. How can he blame me?_

_He just does. Today didn't help. He has a relationship with one of my students. Laura Logan. She was hurt today, she has regenerative powers, but it's made things worse between you._

_If he blames me for all this, and hates me because of it, then I don;t know what to do Charles._

_Come to the Institute. Talk to him._

_He wouldn't listen, he wouldn't even look at me unless I made him._

_That might be. But you have to try._

_I can't._

Magneto broke it off. The Professor sighed, he had tried. He really had. But there was nothing left that he could do. All he could do was hopefully give Pietro a new heart, another shot at life, more time to make amend s with his father. But the way they both acted, it didn't seem like that would happen any time soon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Jem Juilette Jewels Jade, this chapter is dedicated to you, Enjoy.**

Pietro held it in his hands, his new heart. it was made of plastics and metals and he had no clue how it was supposed to work.

"So when can I get my old heart switched out with this one?"

"Day after tomorrow most likely." said The Professor. Beast took the fake heart and put it in a case and took the case away.

"Okay, can I go?" asked Pietro.

"That's what I wanted to talk about. What do you plan to do once this is over, Pietro?" Pietro frowned he hadn't thought about it at all.

"I know I'm not going back, not to the brotherhood, or my father." he said.

"You're not going to want to hear this. Pietro, but I think you need to forgive him-"

"NO! No, I can't! Not ever!" he said, getting angrier with each word. "I hate him! Look at everything he's done to Wanda, he put her in an insane asylum, and that caused her to have a breakdown. Then he acted like it was the right thing to do and she had no right to be mad at him. And then altered her memories. And what about what he's done to me. Uncle Charles?"

"I'm not saying everything he's done is right. But I know your father better than anyone else. And he has never done anything that he didn't think was right. If he says he did something for you, he really did do it for you."

"I don't care. Excuse me, I told Laura I'd take her out on a date tonight." Pietro left.

* * *

Laura closed the door to her room and strarted to get changed inot her pajamas. She had had a wonderful evening out wiht Pietro. He had been agitated at first, but had relaxed as the evening wore on. He had taken out to dinner, and to see and adventure movie. She sighed and flopped onto the bed. When she had first coem to the institute, she had wondered if she could ever lead a normal life. And now here she was, home form a date, with a boyfriend. His heart replacment wasn't for a few days but she hoped it would go well.

* * *

"Alright that should be good, see you when wake up." said Hank, he had just administered anesthetic. Pietro started to drift out of consciousness. He finally went out.

* * *

Pain. Pain

"He's waking up!"

"How?"  
Pain.

"I don't know, I adminstered the correct-"

"Just get him unconsciousness!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Pietro couldn't help it, he screamed, and screamd. Pain. Horrible pain. And then nothing.

* * *

Pietro groaned. He sat up. he was in the infirmary. Laura was sitting next to the bed.

"Hey Beautiful." he said.

"The Professor said the surgery went well, everything works."

"Good to now."

"He also said you woke up." said Laura. "Do you remeber?"

"That wasn't a dream?" asked Pietro, he rember the pain.

"No, complications with your powers again." she said.

"Oh." He said. "So where's the Professor?"

"I'm here." THe Professor wheeled in. Laura excused herself to go to training, leaving Pietro and the Professor alone.

"Are you alright?" asked The Professor.

"Yeah, I guess. When can I get up?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Okay. Hey, Uncle Charles?"

"Yes?"

"Could I stay here awhile? I know baisically everyone hates me, but I don't really have anywhere to go."

The Professor was slient for a moment. "I will let you stay here. But first, you have to agree to talk to your father."

"No!"

"Only a conversation. I'm not asking you to forgive him, or agree with him, just talk to him. Alright?"

"Fine." said Pietro.

"Good. Get some rest, you could use some natural sleep." and the Professor left.

* * *

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

"Come in!" yelled Pietro. Wanda entered the room.

"Hi, Jean let me up."

"Hey." he said. silence.

"Did the transplant go well?"

"Yeah, I'm baisically good, just supposed to take it easy for a few days." Pietro looked at his sister. "Uncle Charles said I could live here."

"That's good. You'll be close to Laura."

"Who told you about that?"

"Rogue, duh."

"Well, anyway, there was a condition to me living here. I have to talk to Father first, like, actually talk to him."

"Why?" asked Wanda.

"Uncle Charles thinks I should forgive him."

"Are you?"

"No, it would be a complete lie. I plan to tell him just what I think, now that I'm free to." Wanda bit her lip.

"Don't.

"What?'

"Don't go off at Father. It's not worth it, trust me on this one, Pietro, because I've thought of it too."

"What do you know?" said Pietro, snapping at his sister. "You didn't have to live with him, do whatever he said to, have his stupoid ideas and beliefs shoved down your throat until you almost believed them. Maybe you were better off in that asylum!" He had gotten all worked up.

_So much for taking it easy. _He thought

"Is that what you really think?' asked Wanda, deadly and quiet. "That I had it easy? Everyone thinking I was insane? Scared of me? Being restrained if I even let my hands glow a little bit? I was always alone, everything was always silent, with nothing to do. It was maddening! I couldn't even think about before though, it was too hard, eventually just thinking abut Father, or _you _drove me into hysterics, and that was always bad. The only conclusion I could draw was that Father hated me, and when I became a bother, he just got rid of me! Uncle Charles showed up a few years in, tried to help me, but I was too far gone. I'd always tell him to get me out of there and he always said he couldn't. And you think I had it easy. Maybe I was wrong to forgive you." she stormed out.

"Wanda," he called after her, but she was gone.

* * *

"So that's what happened." said Laura. She and Pietro were outside sitting overlooking the lake. He had told her what had gone on between him and Wanda, he probably should have told the Porfessor, but he didn't want a morality lecture right then.

"I knew that she had a hard time there, and that she hated me and Magneto for a long time, but still, I mean, it's not as if my life has been easy."

"You're right, it hasn't." she said. "As a matter of fact, hardly anyone here, or in the Brotherhood had had an easy life. Kurt had to hide all the time, Scott's family is dead, Rogue has to deal her powers in general, Lance was a foster kid, Toad's always getting beat on, by everyone including his team mates, don't talk, it's true. And I grew up in complete isolation, designed to be a weapon. And That's just a few of us." she looked direcetly at him. "Ever think that maybe you're Father hasn't had an easy life either? Or The Professor?"

"So you think I should talk to him?"

"Yes. However, I'm more than a little biased on this one." he laughed and kissed her.

* * *

_Magnus, he agreed to talk to you._

_To serve what purpose? He hates me, and now he always will. _

_That could be changed._

_Do you think he'll forgive me if we meet? No. He'll tell me anything and everything he's ever thought about me. Sometimes there is no reconciliation._

_This doesn't have to be one of those times. Please, just speak to him, that's all I ask, and it's not much. _

_All my debts to you are repaid, Charles._

_Your son is going to survive, and Wanda-_

_What about her?_

_I changed her memory back, bits of things were resurfacing, and woulod eventually have caused another breakdown._

_I shall have to speak wiht mastermind._

_That's beside the point. She has pretended that she still doesn't remember. I don't know whether she's forgiven you, but at the very least she has learned to accept you. Give Pietro the chance to do the same._

_..._

_Well?_

_...Fine. But I doubt anythign will come of this_

_You'd be surprised what a single conversation can do._


	9. Chapter 9

**I hope you're enjoying this so far. If any of my readers happen to also be star trek fans. Check out the 'The Next Generation' archive, for the humor story my sister and I are writing, I'll love you forever!**

* * *

Pietro paced in the living room, no one else was around, they had all been told to clear out.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

There was the door, he should go answer it.

He didn't. He let someone else do it, why prolong the amount of time he had to spend with Magneto?

"Pietro." he looked over at the man in the buisness suit standing in the doorway."

"Hello." said Pietro. Magneto sat down, out of habit, so did Pietro. No emotion showed on Magneto's face. What was that Laura had said about him suffering?

"The Professor told me that your artifical heart should last your enitre lifetime." said Magneto.

"Yeah, that's good. I wonder who designed it?" said Pietro, just a little bit of bitterness in his voice.

"Pietro, listen." said Magneto, looking at his son. "When I first learned of your condition, I was unsure that the artifical heart design would ever work well enough, or last long enough, for you."

"Yeah, sure, right." grumbled Pietro.

"I am serious." said Magneto. "It was too risky at the time, and it was still risky this time."

"Who the hell cares? I was going to die anyway, I would just die a little sooner if it failed. But it didn't, and I'm gonna live." Pietro looked at his Father. "And you can bet I'll be living without being yanked around by you."

"Pietro, what is it you want to hear me say? That I'll leave you alone for the rest of your life? That I'm sorry?" said Magneto. "I have nothing to be sorry for. I have never done anything for you that I-"

"Stop it! You have never done anything good for me _or Wanda _period." He said. "You pushed me around, locked up my sister, abandoned me, told me or at least implied that I was not worth it, and plenty of other things too. You want something, you just take it. Even if it means pushing your kids aside."

"I do not apporve of the tone of voice you're using." warned Magneto.

"Haven't you been listening? I don't care anymore." said Pietro. "Uncle Charles said I had to talk to you, well I talked to you, so go away!" Pietro moved to leave. The doors slammed shut and locked.

"Pietro. Turn around, and just listen to me." Pietro turned around, what else could he do?

"I do care about you, and your sister. Eventually mutants will be in control of this world. No, I don't have a concrete plan on how to do that currently. But it will happen. And I want you there with me."

"No you don't. If I am there, that's just a bonus." said Pietro. "Now let me leave!" He pulled on the doors again. He could just use his powers, but he was supposed to avoid doing that today.

"Pietro, please listen, just for a moment." said Magneto. "I do not regret the things I have put you through, they wre required and they have strengthened you. You and Wanda are my children, all I have left of your mother. I am asking you, come with me."

Pietro sigehd and turned around. "I can't." there was no anger in his voice. "Before you yanked me around, forced me to do stuff, forced me to obey. Well, half the time I would've anyway because all I wanted was your approval. I don't want that anymore. I don't agreee with everything Uncle Charles says, but I agree with more of it than I do of what you say. I'm staying at the institute. " Pietro reached to open the door. It was still magnetized shut. He pulled harder on it.

"Hey let me out!" he said.

"I asked, remember that. " said Magneto. he reached out and grabbed Pietro's arm. Peitro yanked away. He used his powers to yanked the door handle hard and fast enough that it fell off, he rushed the door open and sprinted away.

_He can't go as fast as you. He can't catch you. You're free. _He thought, running. He wasn't using his powers, but he was still pretty fast. suddenly he felt himself yanekd backwards roughly by a point on his back, he fought against it.

_How the hell-_ He remembered. There was still a small piece of metal in his back, fused to his spine. just enough for his father to pull on.

He pushed against it. He was still slipping. He took a deep breath and ran forward as fast and as hard as he could. He was gaining ground. Magneto was going to have to let go.

Something lurched in his chest. He suddenly found himself gasping to breath, something was wrong. He was slipping again. His chest started hurting massively.

_He's pulling on my heart! _He slipped and flew backwards and hit a wall in the living room. Everything was fading out, he couldn't move, he couldn't breath, his heart...

"I-I-" he blacked out.

* * *

Laura paced the upstairs hallway. She was worried about Pietro. She had heard yelling, but everything was quiet now. She heared a loud thunk. She could smell blood. Pietro's blood.

She raced downstairs and burst into the living room. She saw Pietro laying on the floor and she ran over to him. His pulse was slowing down and he wasn't breathing.

_PROFESSOR! PROFESSOR! _She screamed in her head.

"He's dying. You killed him." said Laura, looking directly at Magneto, her eyes burning with rage. The Professor wheeled into the room, followed by Jean and Kurt.

"Kurt, get him into the infirmary, now. And then find Beast and get him down there." Kurt grabbed Pietro's limp form and teleported away.

"Jean, Laura, come with me. You as well, Magnus."

"Your letting _him_ near Pietro again?" said Laura. "This is his fault! Pietro might die and it'll be because he killed him!" Laura could barely keep her claws in.

"Enough!" said The Professor. "You may come and see him, but please remain silent, all of you. Beast and I may have to perform another surgery. " Laura was silent, but she stood behind Magneto, glaring at him, hating him.

They all got down to the infirmary, Beast was already there. He nodded to the Professor. The Professor sighed.

"Jean, we could use your help in surgery. Kurt, go to tell everyone else what's going on." Kurt teleported away. "Laura, you can watch if that's what you want. Magnus, I would ask that you remain here. You have a magnetic field that would interfere with the surgical instruments." The Professor, with everyone else, except Magneto, left.

_Wolverine's daughter is right. This is all my fault. I've killed my son._

The Professor didn't even try to make things seem better than they were. _Yes, you very well might have._


	10. Chapter 10

**New chapter! Yay! I'm sorry that it has taken so very long. I really have no excuse other than my own laziness. (But at least I'm honest! Right?)**

* * *

Laura sat still next to Magneto, not even aknowledging him. She was going to watch the surgery, but she really couldn't. She couldn't stand the idea of just cutting someone open and-

_Pietro, you gotta live._ She thought.

Wanda came in.

"O my God, Laura." she said. "Kurt teleported over, almost got kicked in the face by Toad and told me what happened and brought me here. Is he-" Laura looked at Wanda, she didn't really know her at all, just what she was told about her and that she was Pietro's sister.

"He'll pull through, he did last time." Laura said.

"Wanda." said Magneto. The Scarlet Witch whipped around and glared at him.

"Don't talk to me. Nightcrawler told me _everything_." she said.

"I understand you have your memories back." Magneto continued.

"Yeah, for awhile. Guess what? I tried more than once to forgive you, kept on playing good daughter. But maybe Pietro was right on this one. We shouldn't have to live under you."

"Wanda-"

"Leave me alone." she snapped. She turned back to Laura. "Laura, please tell when the surgery is done? I'm going upstairs, I am not sitting in a room with _Him._"

"Alright, Wanda." Wanda left. Laura leaned back. She sniffed the air.

"Must you do that?' asked Magneto.

"You sense metal, I sense everything else, and I do it with my nose." she smelled again. There was some scent on Magneto.

Fear.

_Fear of what?_

_Fear of death._

"You actually are worried about Pietro." said Laura.

"He is my son, of course I am."

"Really? Because no one else, including Pietro, can tell." Laura stared at him harder. "I know why."

"Know why what?"

"Know why you act like you do. You're old. You've faced death over and over. You fiinally have kids, you decide they will never have to see death or pain like you." she looked away and looked straight forward. "But then your wife died. More pain and death. Then Wanda had mor epower than she should've at that age. You really couldn't deal with her. Not without Wanda being old enough to understand, and without her mother."

"How can you even guess all this?" asked Magnus.

"HYDRA wanted me to be an assasin. I was taught how to learn quite a bit just from observing, and I had more information than just what is obvious to start with." explained Laura. "Going on. Wanda was gone. You have Pietro left. But you changed tatics, you didn't want to shield him from pain anymore, you wanted him to be ready for it instead. But you still made sure he was safe. Then the thing you had hoped for in him: Mutation, began to kill him. You had lost your wife, your daughted was insane, your son was going to die. In your head you had failed. You stopped trying to be fatherly, because as far as you could see, everything you had tried to do for Pietro had failed or was was going to."

Magneto looked directly at her. "You are mostly correct." he said. "I am old, older than you might think. I was a child during World War Two. A Polish Jew. I knew so many people who died because they were jewish. Not all of them were even religious, some just had jewish ancestry. So, I refused to let my children suffer at the hands of those who would hate them for something they did not control. But you missed one thing."

"And what was that?" asked Laura.

"You said I ceased to be a father to Pietro after his condition became obvious."

"You kicked him out. Hardely what I'd call 'fatherly'. And my father figure is Wolverine."

"You said I tried to prepare him for pain. I worked to hard, I caused so much resentment. When I made him leave, it was because I couldn't prepare him anymore, and things couldn't go back to how they had been. So I let him live his own life. But obviously that is not how he saw it."

"I don't blame him." said Laura.

"Neither do I. My methods were too rough on a child, any child. But there is no use regretting what cannot be changed." said Magneto. He stood up. "I suppose there is no point in my staying here. He won't want to see me, and I cannot make him talk to me anymore. Tell your Professor I left. " He walked toward the door.

"You're not leaving this area unescorted." said Laura.

"Are you seeing me out then?"

"I have to." she briefly thought about trying to get Jean or the Professor's attention telepathically to tell them, but pushed the thought aside. She couldn't distract them from Pietro.

They reached the door.

"Do you want Pietro to be happy?" asked Laura.

"I want him to strong, prepared, and intelligent." said Magneto, stepping outside. "If he is all those things, then he will be happy."

"I was all those things, I still am. But I wasn't happy until I was free. And Pietro won't be either." said Laura. And. she closed the door

* * *

Magneto quietly walked away. After he was farther away from the mansion, he would fly, but for now, he walked. It had been interesting how much X23 had been able to figure out.

She had been correct, his main concern was, or at least had been, the welfare of his family. But if Pietro chose to live here, or if Charles helped him start somewhere else, Pietro would not need his help anymore. And what's more, he didn't want it.

So, here were his choices. Continue to force his son in a direction he did not wish to go, or lose him entirely.

_I wasn't happy until I was free... _

_But is happiness so important? _Thought Magneto. He had rarely been truly happy in his long life. He had always claimed he wanted better for his children. Better than he had. What hadn't he had? UP until now he'd always told himself it was preperation for whatever was to come. But now he thought, prehapse, there was more. Maybe a chance at happiness.

.._.And Pietro won't be either._

Magneto was far enough away now, he rose into the air, pushing against the metal of the earth to fly. Very well, Pietro would have his freedom. So would Wanda. Because he truly did want better for his children

_But I will be here if they return. _

* * *

_beep. beep. beep. beep._

"Pietro?" someone whispered.

Pietro opened his eyes. He felt very weak.

"Pietro?" it was Laura.

"Hey, Gorgeous." he said shakily.

"You did it, you pulled through." she said. "Wanda's here. She's waiting to be told she can come in."

"My father-"

"Left. I don't think he's coming back." she said. She held Pietro's hand. Quicksilver tried to sit up.

"No. Don't. The Professor said you need to rest for awhile." she said. Pietro laid back down.

"How long was the surgery?" he asked.

"Long." was all Laura said. She stood up. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." said Pietro.

"I'll go get you some food, want me to send Wanda in?"

"Sure. Thanks, Laura, really." She smiled and left the room. Pietro flopped back down.

_I guess you don't really need a heart to love someone after all. _He thought. Wanda came in.

"Hi." she sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." said Pietro. "Why are you here?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Most people don't question when close family members come see them while they're recovering after surgery." She smiled. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah." Pietro looked at his sister. "Laura said Father left."

"I know, she told me. And the Professor just told me something else, while I was waiting for Laura to be done. He's letting us go."

"What?"

"You heard me. When Laura was keeping an eye on him during your surgery, she must have said something to change his mind. He told the Professor- telepathically- he would let us do what we wanted from now on." Pietro could hear excitement in Wanda's voice. He felt it too

"Wanda, is it bad to be happy about that? I mean, he wasn't exactly a good parent but-" Wanda put a hand up.

"Don't feel guilty. It's not like you wanted to do anything that normal peopel don't do, like choose what you want to do with your adult life."

"Yeah, you're right. What are you going to do, Wanda?" asked Pietro.

"I don't know yet. I'd like to come here, but I'm not sure if this place can stand both of us." she looked intently at her brother. "You are still planning to live here, with the x-men, aren't you?"

Pietro was silent. Or rather, thinking. _What are my options? Brotherhood, X-men, or strike out on my own. Okay, simple, three choices. The Brotherhood never really ran that smoothly and as much as I hate to admit it, I've cahnged and wouldn't fit in there anymore. _

_Striking out on my own wouldn't work either, I may have lived on my own, but Father was paying for everything. I can;t support myself, not now._

_I've got to stay with the x-men. No, I want to. I want to be with Laura. I love her. I have dated lots of people, but I really do love her. And pluse, no here hates me so much anymore. _

"Well?" said Wanda.

"I'm staying. I want to be with Laura. What about you, Uncle Charles would let you. I'm sure of it."

Wanda sighed. "I don't know. This has all happened so fast. I need time to think." She stood up. "Will you be fine if I go?"

"God, Wanda, I'm seventeen! I'll be fine without someone in the room." said Pietro.

"I'm glad to see your still you, no matter what." And she left. Pietro looked up at the ceiling.

_I'lll tell Laura when she comes back, and the Professor when he comes to check on me, because I know he will. Yeah, this is definetly the right thing to do._

* * *

**One year later.**

"Unfair!" yelled Bobby

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to play mutantball." said Pietro cooly. He was eighteen now.

"But this game is half running, you'll always win."

"Then next time, pick me to be on your team."

The Professor watched the squabbling through his office's open window. It had been awhile since Pietro had come to be an X-man. His artifical heart had never given out, he had never had any problems with his powers, and after some time he and all the other students began to get along, the fact he had once been a member of The Brotherhood forgotten.

Laura stepped inbetween Bobby and Pietro and helped solve the argument. Laura had grown up quite a bit in the last year. She had gone from being emotionally ruled for the most part to being very controlled. Pietro as well. They made a good couple. Even if Wolverine still gave Pietro a hard time now and again.

Wanda never did come to the Institute. She had left and found an apartment and job in New York City Nine moths ago. Pietro had told him that she'd been approached by S.H.I.E.L.D. Six months ago and was now a special agent. He only knew because Fury had extended the same invitation to Quicksilver, one he turned down in favor of being an x-man.

The game had ended. The students dissapated, but Laura and Pietor stayed behind. Laura brushed the bangs of her new cropped haircut out of her face. She and Pietro satyed on the bleachers of side oif the baseball diamond, holding hands, talking and smiling. A perfect image of contentment. This from a girl who had been raised to be a weapon, and a boy who should have been dead.

_Magnus, see what your children have become. Both are using their powers for the good of is working in ways that very few get to. Pietro is an adult now, and far from the sarcastic, prideful, belligerent boy he used to be._

_I am proud of them, Charles. Their lives are on a good path. They will be- are successful._

_Why are you telling me? Tell them. Tell him._

_Pietor des not wish to see me._

_Magnus, just try. He is more mature now. It can go better this time._

_Maybe. _

_Do it now. Don't put it off and never have it happen. _

_You're correct Charles. _

_I often am._

* * *

"Laura. Where do you see yourself in another year?" asked Pietro.

"That's a weird question."

"Just answer it."

"Probably still here. I've never really had a formal education, and wiht both Jean and Scott in college, The Professor can use the help here. "

"I don't think I wanna leave too." Laura sat up straight.

"Pietro?"

"Yeah, Gorgeous."

"It's Magneto." she said. Pietro stood up. Coming toward them was, in fact, his father.

"Laura, would you mind leaving?" asked Pietro. Laura opened her mouth to protest but closed it again. she got off the bleachers and walked away.

Pietro also got off the bleachers and faced his Father.

_What does he want?_

Magneto looked directly at his son. "Hello, Pietro."

"Hello, Father." responded Pietro.

"You look well."

"I am."

"Pietro. The Professor has told me about what you've accomplished in the past year."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your personality has become more even. You work well as part of a team. You have a girlfriend of over a year who you are obviously attached to."

"I love her." Pietro spilled out. "Why are you here?"

"I am here to tell you that I am proud of your accomplishments, and to wish to you well for your future. Prehapse that sounds ridiculous, but it is true." Magneto stuck out his hand, obciously intending for Pietro to shake it.

Pietro was dumbfounded honestly. Was this really the man he had called 'Father'

_Yes, it is my father. And I forgive him. _

Pietro shook his father's hand. Magneto smiled a slight smile. And then left, wiht the same suddeness as his coming.

Pietro turned to go back into the mansion. It had been such a short exchange, but it had meant s much to him. He had stopped trying to please his fahter long ago, but to that his father was proud of him was worth something to him still.

_I have survived so much. And I am ready to take on even more. _He could see Laura a ways away, at the mansion. He ran as fast as he could to get to her. And thinking just as fast he thought _Someday, when we're both ready, probably not for a few years, I'll ask Laura to marry me. And you know what? I am happy. Who woulda thought? I found the life I wanted here, as and X-man. _

**The End**

* * *

**A huge thanks to all my readers for your support and patience! Yes, I gave it a little bit sappy of an ending, but this is how I wanted it to be. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you.**

**~Remi-it-a-girl's-name**


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